Treading Water
Bottomless
The waves come crashing
I strive for survival
But that ain't living
spit it out now
hold it in
icy claws sink deep
shake it off
keep your chin up
bullshit
just keep swimming
prolong the inevitable
bottoms up
It's come to my attention that in the last couple of years, not only has being a nerd become a bit more socially acceptable, it's fashionable??? Ok, well that's strange. A big part of me thinks that this is an awesome development for a number of reasons. First and foremost, kids won't have to be bullied and tormented for being open about the geeky stuff they're in to. When I was a younglin', a big part of my hatred for school was do in part to the crap I dealt with on a daily basis. Crap from everyone who called me a nerd and picked on me because I was unwilling to hide my love for X-Men, Star Wars, Mel Brooks movies, Lord of the Rings, Dungeons & Dragons, video games, reading, cartoons, etc. But now, it's cool to be a nerd?! Alright.
But a BIG part of me is irritated by this whole "geek chic" thing. Most of these people who are claiming the title of "geek" and "nerd" are just part of yet another trend. Riding the wave of whatever is popular at the moment. Hey "nerds", I've got news for you, YOU ARE NOT A NERD and I'll prove it to you.
The thing about being a nerd that the Pop Culture machine missed is that being a nerd or a geek for or about something is by no means a casual affair. Being a nerd or a geek means that you can deliver up the most obscure trivia at will and on command. That the interest you have for whatever you're into borders on obsession. That you've given up not only a part of your life in it's cause, that you've given up a piece of who and what you are. That your irrational interest in this thing has alienated you from your friends and family, turning you into a nerd-rage filled hermit. THAT is what makes you a nerd. Not your plebeian interest in the Harry Potter movies, or your Pokemon t-shirt. Oh no. You've got to earn the title of geek. One does not simply claim it, it claims you.
Of course, there is a certain degree of sarcasm in the previous paragraphs. You don't need to have had your social life decimated by your interests in order to claim the title of Nerd. It certainly helps to beef up your geek-cred though.
I'll end this with a quote from the indomitable Simon Pegg that sums up the view I've always held about Geekdom. Enjoy.
If you've never seen The Venture Bros, where the hell have you been the last decade? If you're a geek of any kind, especially one with an open mind and a dark sense of humor, why are you not watching this show? This is easily one of my most favorite things in the universe. No hyperbole here. The Venture Bros warms my icy lil' heart.
Imagine Johnny Quest with a sick sense of humor, existing in a universe where pretty much all of your favorite cartoons, toys and comic book characters are all either real or parodied. The story line is one of the most ridiculously complicated of any tv series I've ever watched, but it only adds to the creepy-neighbor charm of this show. Action, adventure, thrills, chills, mystery, intrigue, blue humor, dark humor, drama, satire, a metric ton of Pop Culture references ranging from the obvious to the obscure and down right esoteric. Women that sound like men, clones that want to be Batman, hydro-cephalic boy geniuses with albino-goth hetero life-mates, Super Villains that may or may not be David Bowie, The Big Bopper or Buddy Holly. Washed up super heroes, Swedish murder machines, intergalactic "watchers", bombastic Necromancers and inept Arch Nemeses and inappropriate behavior. You name it, it's got it! This show does it all. The Venture Bros is like a bad touch you don't want to stop.
In this video clip, series co-creator Doc Hammer (as "Gary", formerly "Henchman 21") recaps the Venture-verse from season 1 to season 4.
Because after a two and a half year wait, the show makes a triumphant return to Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim" for its 5th season on June 2nd at midnight. Watch this clip, be intrigued, obtain the entire series, and strap in for what is sure to be one helluva an hour long premier. IGNORE ME!!!
UPDATE: Season 5 of The Venture Bros has apparently been split in two for reasons unknown to me. I'm assuming because of production costs and the fact that this show takes forever to get made. In any case, as soon as I hear that the 2nd half of the season is poised to destroy your sense of right and wrong, I'll make sure you know it too!
Writing professionally has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. I've recently been given the opportunity to take the first step in doing so. Mike Alexander of Rod Authority gave me the chance to write an article about the history of wheels in the Hot Rod and Custom world. Head on over to Rod Authority and show some love to a bitchin' magazine! With any luck, you'll be reading more from me at RA!
I placed "Metal" in parenthesis because even though all of these singers (and the bands they front for) are pretty heavy, they are also very Progressive. There are no boundaries for these people. In any case, these are the singers who have inspired me the most over the last 15 years.
The first time I ever saw this band live was also the first time that I ever heard them. September 27th, 2005, I was at a local show here in Lancaster, CA and ran into a friend that I hadn't seen in quite a while.
After catching up, he asked who I was there to see and I responded with "Unearth." He nodded sagely and said, "Right on, man. Just make sure you don't miss Dillinger." I had heard the name a few times but still hadn't heard them. Something about the crazed look on his face when warning me not to miss them made me make a mental note, marked "High Priority"...
When they were ready to get started, I found a good spot in the front row and settled in. They opened with this:
To this day, I don't know how I kept my face from melting off. Not only was their stage presence like a nuclear bomb going off, their music was the most intense, technically proficient, skull-crushingly brutal and refreshingly original stuff I had ever heard. I was instantly a convert and judging by the slack jawed faces of others in the crowd that night, I was certainly not the only one.
"I like to approach singing the way a guy like Daniel Day Lewis approaches acting. You’ve gotta really fucking think about what you’re singing about and get that emotion fresh again in your brain. Be pissed as if you’re screaming. If you were fucking yelling at your friend or fighting with your girlfriend. You wouldn’t be standing still with your hands at your sides and screaming at the top of your lungs."- Greg Puciato
This is exactly how I've always felt in regards to being a metal vocalist, or any kind of vocalist really. The best singers can rip open emotional scars at will and share that experience with you, or open up their heart and show you their love, the way Otis Redding could.
When Greg opens up, he really bares his soul and shows you just how pissed off he is, or just how vulnerable he can be. Whether he's shredding his vocal chords or singing a beautiful melody, this guy is arguably one of the best vocalists music has ever heard. And needless to say, he has the stage presence of a wild animal, set free of its' cage for a little while.
The Dillinger Escape Plan as a whole, are without a doubt, one of the most groundbreaking and talented acts to hit the extreme music world.
Their range of style, technique and sheer disregard for things as seemingly trivial as genre, tradition or even theory go a long way towards creating their truly unique sound. All of that coupled with a truly amazing live performance makes DEP one of the most explosive acts you will ever experience. No hyperbole here.
And with a new album getting ready to drop, you can rest assured that we haven't heard the last of these crazy bastards.
If you've never listened to the Dillinger Escape Plan, any attempt I could make at accurately trying to describe it would be useless. Instead, here's a sampling of my favorite DEP tracks. Enjoy.
Today marks 45 years since Otis Redding's plane crashed, killing him and his band, the Bar Kays: Jimmy King, Ron Caldwell, Phalin Jones and Carl Cunningham. Only their trumpet player Ben Cauley survived.
Otis is by far my favorite vocalist. His voice carried so much emotion in it, you can't help but be moved by him.
So remember, when life is playing rough, just try a little tenderness.
When it comes to just about anything, daring to be different can yield some very cool or some very bad results, though "different" is often times simply synonymous with "bizarre".
I recently went on a hunt for different & cool. Here's some bitchin' sickles built from unusual, uncommon or flatout rare breeds of bike. How many could you name just by looking at the engine?
Metal is my favorite music (Progressive & Technical Death Metal, to be exact). But I love music in all its forms. That in mind, I just wanted to share today's MP3 player-on-random, morning-commute playlist! Enjoy :)
Los Lobos feat. Antonio Banderas: Cancion del Mariachi
Tomorrow is the big day. Time once again to vote for President of the United States. Seems like every 4 years the choices get worse and worse. Is it just me? I've heard and seen Pros and Cons on both sides, but I have to say that I think the Cons far outweigh the Pros on BOTH sides of this election. Same as the last and the one before that...
"We would all like to vote for the best man but he is never a candidate." -Kin Hubbard
Is it because each of these individuals is a genuine p.o.s.? Or is it simply because The Republican and Democratic parties are both inept, greedy and elitist organizations who care nothing about the people within our country? They both talk a big game, but from my perspective, both sides have done an excellent job of messing up the United States. Am I saying that they are all completely bad or useless or that the blame lay solely at their feet? Absolutely not. What I am saying is that the current Two Party system is antiquated. It's failing. It also seems to have Alzheimer's since they can never keep their stories straight... It's time to move on.
"Our two party system is a bowl of sh*t staring at itself in the mirror." -Lewis Black
In the last election when Obama ran against McCain, I remember feeling the same helpless, hopeless pessimism that voting for "the lesser of two evils" was no longer something that I could do and still feel good about my vote. When Kerry ran against Lil' Bush, I did just that: I got wasted and voted for dumb ass Kerry. My reasoning was that I would rather have a fresh douche than an old, chafing one. But last election? Nope, I willingly and (almost) gladly threw my vote at a 3rd Party Candidate. I won't say which one, because it doesn't matter. I simply REFUSED to give my vote to Barack Obama or John McCain. Why? Because they both SUCKED. They sucked and so do our current options. I will not go into WHY they suck because I could spend all day doing so and YOU could spend all day debating me. We all know why they each suck, let's just leave it at that.
"When I think about who I would vote for... I don't even look at their policies. I just look at their character." -Dave Chappelle
Most people say that voting for a 3rd Party is bad because A) It takes votes away from the 2 main choices B) It's "throwing away" a vote because a 3rd Party has no chance of winning C) Voting with your conscience is meaningless, etc. I've got news for ya, folks. If I take 1 measly vote away from either of those morons, I'm absolutely STOKED. Because if you're voting for who you feel is the right choice, your vote is never wasted.
"Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting." -FDR
It is our duty and responsibility as citizens and voters of these United States to vote. BUT, it's also up to us to educate ourselves about the candidates. Why is that? Because nearly all of the major news organizations have been bought and paid for by the Right and the Left. So what we get is NOT the news. What we get is OPINION, spin and straight-up propaganda. So it falls on us to sift through the bullshit and make a responsible and educated vote. Do not give in to hate, fear and all of the other modes of control. USE YOUR FREAKIN' HEAD and back it up with your heart.
"Fifty percent of people won't vote, and fifty percent don't read newspapers. I hope it's the same fifty percent." -Gore Vidal
As far as my actual political views are concerned, I will say only this: I have no political allegiance. I try to remain non-partisan. I am socially liberal and fiscally conservative. I have been called a non-conformist, a contrarian and other colorful terms where my political views are concerned. Obviously, I disagree. I vote how I feel makes sense and what I think is best for the nation. If that's being contrary to the b.s. status quo, then so be it.
"Liberal and conservative have lost their meaning in America. I represent the distracted center." -Jon Stewart
Tomorrow I will once again vote for a 3rd Party candidate. Just who that person is I feel is irrelevant, because I'm not here to tell you who to vote for. I'm just asking you to vote responsibly and logically.
"Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has no heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains." -Winston Churchill
^This is my favorite political quote^. It reminds me to walk the fine line between emotion and logic when it comes to making my decisions as a voter. I know that's probably not what Churchill meant, but that's what it means to me. I hope it does the same for you.
It's been over 5 months since my last post, for reasons that I will elaborate upon at a later date.... For now, let's just get down to another of bob_o's magical music reviews!
Thursday April, 26th started off like any other day. Rolled out of bed, rolled into work, grabbed my much needed morning caffeine and started checking my email. One in particular immediately grabbed my attention; "Congratulations! You're Blistering.com's winner...." Jeeze. This spam filter really isn't working very well. But curiosity got the better of me, so I opened it. According to this email, not only had I won www.blistering.com's contest, I had won tickets to see Ghost, Mastodon and Opeth. Bull. Fucking. Shit.
I've never won anything in my life, let alone something that I would actually want. After a few disbelieving emails back in forth with Blistering Editor-in-Chief David Gehlke and Live Nation rep Lennora Jules, they convinced me that this was not a joke. I had indeed won tickets to see 2 of my favorite bands together. As in, at the same time. But wtf? I hadn't entered any contest, nor was I familiar with Blistering (which, by the by, is a bad ass website dedicated to only the best hard rock and metal). But that was now peripheral to the fact that there was two tickets waiting for me at Will Call! So I hit up my friend, co-worker and fellow metal-head Juan Ibarra. Me: "Hey Juanito! You want to go see Ghost, Mastodon and Opeth tonight at City Walk? For free??" Juan: "What?? Do I have to decide right now?? But yes! Jessss!" Hahaha! I love it when an impromptu plan comes together. (I found out a week later that good friend Cody Strong is the one responsible for entering me into the contest. Thanks Cody!)
The drive to Universal City went smoothly, except that when we got within 10 miles of City Walk, my GPS and Juan's GPS started bickering and we got slightly lost. No biggie.
We picked up the tickets from Will Call and entered the Gibson Amphitheater right as openers Ghost were taking the stage. We took our seats and started listening to the odd Swedish quintet. Neither Juan or I were overly familiar with their music, but I can tell you that half-way through their set, we were both converts to what some have jokingly called the "easy listening" of metal. They have a very laid back and somewhat progressive approach to their music.
It flows nicely, while still having the ability to make you bang your head, despite the absence of what has become standard fare for metal vocals: screaming, growling, shrieking, etc. In fact, the most extreme aspect of vocalist "Papa Emeritus'" vocal style is his accent, which is actually very mild. I think that one of the most hypnotic things about Ghost is their stage presence. Papa Emeritus glides onto the stage, looking like a Pope from your nightmares, complete with ghoulish face paint and bizzaro-world Habit. The other members of the band, known only as the "Nameless Ghouls" don Monk's robes that look like they were stolen from the late 15th century. Their appearance aside, this band is awesome. And despite their relative anonymity in the American metal scene, the crowd seemed to be enjoying it as much as Juan and myself. Regardless of the overtly Satanic lyrical content, haha!
Next up was Mastodon. And while I was really excited to see them play again, my apprehension definitely got the better of me (read why here). Unfortunately, my skepticism became reality as Mastodon launched into one of the most lackluster performances I've ever seen from a band as big as they are. It felt like an hour of goin'-through-the-motions. And while musically they sounded perfect, the vocals were weak, with the exception of Brann's vocals which were near flawless.
To be fair, when Troy and Brent were singing newer songs, they sounded a lot better. But while playing pre-Crack the Skye tracks (though they only played 4), Brent's pipes sounded likely to give out at any moment. Being a metal vocalist, I can understand what a strain their style of vocals can be on your vocal chords... But why not simply change it up a bit so that it's easier to perform? I dunno.
Also much to my disappointment, as previously mentioned, they only played 4 older tracks: "Hand of Stone" and "Crystal Skull" from Blood Mountain, and "Blood & Thunder" and "Aqua Dementia" from Leviathan. And admittedly,I hate to be "that guy", bitching about wanting to hear "the old shit", but here we are. Well written, recorded and executed though it may be, it lacks intensity. Though admittedly, what it lacks in intensity, it makes up for with tasty progressiveness.
I guess my biggest gripe with them was their near complete lack of stage presence. They can't all be zingers, right?
Opeth. What can I say? Opeth came out and wowed as usual. Mikael was his same dry, sarcastically entertaining self. And they performed an awesome assortment of their material spanning their entire 22 year career. From beginning to end, Opeth delivered the goods. Though I should admit, that this seems to be business as usual for the Progressive Metal band (and I don't care if you don't want to be labeled a "Metal Band", Mikael! You write and play metal, albeit some of the most progressive of metal ever to be recorded).
They began with the first 3 tracks from their latest release, Heritage ("The Devil's Orchard", "I Feel the Dark" and "Slither", respectively). They then played what sounded like listening to their catalog on shuffle: "Windowpane", "Burden", "The Lines in my Hand", "Folklore", "Demon of the Fall" and "The Grand Conjuration". Every member of the band was on-fucking-point. Amazing. Opeth never disappoints.
Here's a few from their set list:
And I know they didn't play it, but here's "Heir Apparent", just for fun!
Overall, it was a great night. And I know I shouldn't complain about Mastodon, considering I got the tickets for Free Ninety-Nine. But... seriously Mastodon. C'mon guys, seriously. .
I'd like to thank David Gehlke at Blistering.com and Lennora Jules at Live Nation for their patience in regards to my incredulous correspondence and for the the tickets! I had a blast! Thanks to Cody for entering me in the contest and thanks to Juan for accompanying me!
My friend Mark Kawano (www.wheelsareeverything.com) snapped these bitchin' pics at the Mooneyes X-Mas Party last weekend. Thanks Mark! The car finally sports the Bellflower pipes that I've had sitting in my closet for 6 years, I've got a nice lil' 9.75" Superior wheel topping off the column (courtesy of Eryk Frias) and last week, homie Josh Lee helped me mount the '61 Buick front bumper. I'm going to make it a point to start taking some big steps on this project. Its' time has come! More updates as things progress...
